MODELING OF UNDERSEEPAGE FLOW IN A GROUND FOUNDATION CONSIDERING 3D PARTICLE ARRANGEMENT AND PORE STRUCTURE AND SEEPAGE FLOW CHARACTERISTICS AROUND THE LEVEE TOE

Abstract

 It is necessary to clarify the mechanism of the concentration and development of underseepage flow around the landside levee toe for estimation of the levee failure risk due to underseepage flow. In this paper, the underseepage flow in a ground foundation under a levee was modeled by considering the anisotropy of permeability coefficient. The developed model was applied to the underseepage flow in a ground foundation with a weak point. The influence of the thickness of cover soil and expansion of weak points on the piezometric head change in the foundation layer and the concentration of the flow toward the weak points was clarified. In addition, it was shown that the risk of levee failure may increase due to the development of the large velocity region near the levee toe when the weak point is formed on the thin cover soil.